{"id":2328,"date":"2013-06-16T11:23:03","date_gmt":"2013-06-16T11:23:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matsati.com\/?p=2328"},"modified":"2018-08-24T13:14:03","modified_gmt":"2018-08-24T13:14:03","slug":"bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-balak-the-importance-of-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/bits-of-torah-truths-parashat-balak-the-importance-of-prayer\/","title":{"rendered":"Bits of Torah Truths, Parashat Balak, The importance of Prayer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This weeks reading is from Parashat Balak (<em>Bamidbar \/ Numbers 16:1-18:32<\/em>), Balak king of Moab saw what the children of Israel had done to the Amorites and both he and the people of Moab were afraid being very anxious about Israel\u2019s presence.\u00a0 As a result, Balak asks for help from a man named Bilam. Now Bilam was well known according to Balak saying: <span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b7\u05e2\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b5\u05ea \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8-\u05ea\u05bc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u05e8\u05b5\u05da\u05b0 \u05de\u05b0\u05d1\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05da\u05b0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05ea\u05bc\u05b8\u05d0\u05b9\u05e8 \u05d9\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0\u05b8\u05e8<\/span> <em>\u201cFor I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.\u201d<\/em> (<em>22:6<\/em>). Bilam through prayer was in contact with the Lord as we see in the repeated references that God said do not go to Balak.\u00a0 Bilam eventually goes with the men and God\u2019s anger burned (<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05d7\u05b7\u05e8-\u05d0\u05b7\u05e3<\/span>) against Bilam and the Angel of the Lord stood in the way of Bilam\u2019s donkey to slay him.\u00a0 Bilam was very persistent; three times he turned to continue on his way being unaware that his life is in eminent danger.\u00a0 How often do you think we walk in eminent danger if we are not walking and living according to God\u2019s Word?\u00a0 Think about this for a moment.\u00a0 Last week, Moshe and Aaron failed to remain in God\u2019s Word and failed to sanctify the Name of God (see <em>Bamidbar \/ Numbers 20<\/em>).\u00a0 In this week\u2019s reading, Bilam not only did not remain in God\u2019s Word he also did not believe God\u2019s Word.\u00a0 If it were no for the mercy of God, Bilam would have died.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05db\u05ea\u05d1\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05e9 \/ The Holy Scriptures<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px; text-align: right;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05e4\u05e8\u05e9\u05ea \u05d1\u05dc\u05e7 \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05d1\u05de\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8 \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05db\u05d1<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05db\u05d1\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05d7\u05b7\u05e8-\u05d0\u05b7\u05e3 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9-\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b5\u05da\u05b0 \u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b4\u05ea\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05e6\u05bc\u05b5\u05d1 \u05de\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05da\u05b0 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05dc\u05b0\u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d8\u05b8\u05df \u05dc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0 \u05e8\u05b9\u05db\u05b5\u05d1 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05d0\u05b2\u05ea\u05b9\u05e0\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b5\u05d9 \u05e0\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05e8\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e2\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9: \u05db\u05d2\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b5\u05e8\u05b6\u05d0 \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05de\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05da\u05b0 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e6\u05bc\u05b8\u05d1 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc\u05e4\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d5\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b5\u05d8 \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05de\u05b4\u05df-\u05d4\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05b5\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05e9\u05bc\u05c2\u05b8\u05d3\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b7\u05da\u05b0 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b4\u05dc\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05dd \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05d8\u05bc\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05d4\u05bc \u05d4\u05b7\u05d3\u05bc\u05b8\u05e8\u05b6\u05da\u05b0: \u05db\u05d3\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05de\u05b9\u05d3 \u05de\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05da\u05b0 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05de\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc \u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d2\u05bc\u05b8\u05d3\u05b5\u05e8 \u05de\u05b4\u05d6\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d2\u05b8\u05d3\u05b5\u05e8 \u05de\u05b4\u05d6\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em>Bamidbar \/ Numbers 21:5-9<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<em>22:22 But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.\u00a0 22:23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way.\u00a0 22:24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. (NASB)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The relationship between the Lord and His people through prayer is a very important aspect of this week\u2019s reading on the life of Bilam.\u00a0 In this week we find Bilam seeking the Lord God to curse Israel.\u00a0 Throughout the Scriptures, we are told to seek the Lord our God.\u00a0 David said in<em> Tehillim \/ Psalm 14:2<\/em> that the Lord looks down from heaven searching for those who seek Him.\u00a0 We are also told to <em>\u201cmake your requests known to God\u201d<\/em> (<em>Philippians 4:6<\/em>).\u00a0 Therefore, seeking the Lord in prayer, in the Scriptures and in His Son Yeshua, we are living and acting in obedience to the Lord.\u00a0 But the question remains: <em>\u201cWhy would the Lord choose to do things in this way, to have us ask him and even repeatedly plead with him for his help?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The reason is based upon the following four points that may be derived directly from the Torah.\u00a0 (i) <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Dependence upon the Lord<\/span>: \u201cBy prayer we continually humble ourselves before the Lord and depend upon Him for help.\u201d\u00a0 This keeps us from saying, \u201cBy my power, and the might of mine hand, have gotten this wealth\u201d (<em>Devarim \/ Deuteronomy 8:17<\/em>, <span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d9\u05d6\u00a0\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b8 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b4\u05dc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u05d1\u05b6\u05da\u05b8 \u05db\u05bc\u05b9\u05d7\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b9\u05e6\u05b6\u05dd \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b4\u05d9 \u05e2\u05b8\u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b6\u05ea-\u05d4\u05b7\u05d7\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05dc \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4:<\/span>).\u00a0 (ii) <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Communion with the Lord<\/span>: <em>\u201cThe Lord desires to have communion with us.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The reality is sometimes our hearts are reluctant to dwell in the presence of God, it is only by the renewing of the heart and mind in God\u2019s Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to draw near into a close relationship with the Lord.\u00a0 The Scriptures say in <em>Devarim \/ Deuternomy 30:10-12<\/em> <span style=\"font-size: medium;\">\u05d8\u00a0 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9\u05e8\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05db\u05b9\u05dc | \u05de\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e9\u05b5\u05b9\u05d4 \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b6\u05da\u05b8 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b4\u05d8\u05b0\u05e0\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05b0\u05d4\u05b6\u05de\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05de\u05b8\u05ea\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d8\u05b9\u05d1\u05b8\u05d4 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 | \u05d9\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc\u05d1 \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05dc\u05b8\u05e9\u05b9\u05d5\u05bc\u05e9\u05b9 \u05e2\u05b8\u05dc\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d8\u05d5\u05b9\u05d1 \u05db\u05bc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8-\u05e9\u05b8\u05b9\u05e9\u05b9 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc-\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05ea\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8: \u05d9\u00a0 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05ea\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05e2 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e7\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05de\u05b9\u05e8 \u05de\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05b0\u05d7\u05bb\u05e7\u05bc\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b0\u05ea\u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05e1\u05b5\u05e4\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d4\u05b7\u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05bc\u05b6\u05d4 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05ea\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc\u05d1 \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc-\u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05dc-\u05dc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u05d1\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05dc-\u05e0\u05b7\u05e4\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05da\u05b8:\u00a0 [\u05e9\u05e9\u05d9] \u05d9\u05d0\u00a0 \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05bc\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05ea \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b8\u05e0\u05b9\u05db\u05b4\u05d9 \u05de\u05b0\u05e6\u05b7\u05d5\u05bc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05dd \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0-\u05e0\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05dc\u05b5\u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05b4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05de\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05dc\u05b9\u05d0-\u05e8\u05b0\u05d7\u05b9\u05e7\u05b8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b4\u05d5\u05d0:<\/span> <em>30:9 \u2018Then the Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers;\u00a0 30:10 if you obey the Lord your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.\u00a0 30:11 \u2018For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. (NASB)<\/em>\u00a0 (iii) <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Lord Prepares us<\/span>: <em>\u201cThe Lord prepares our heart through prayer.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 He produces preparation by delaying to grant our request at the moment of our asking.\u00a0 We are held in the truth of His presence until we are brought into spiritual understanding of the will of God for our lives.\u00a0 Whether there is sin in our lives that is resulting in calamities or simply for the increasing of patience and love for others.\u00a0 (iv) <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Cooperation with God<\/span>: <em>\u201cWe are called to be fellow laborers together with God.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Scripture says that our Savior grieves with us and ever lives to make intercession.\u00a0 To His redeemed people He says, <em>Matthew 26:38 Then He said to them, \u2018My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.\u2019 (NASB)<\/em>.\u00a0 According to the Scriptures and based on our own lives, there is a great work to be done in the hearts of Men.\u00a0 Battles in spiritual wickedness, the casting down of idols, the casting out of demons, the works of the flesh, the works of the evil one, etc.\u00a0 It is by prayer above all other means that we seek the Lord\u2019s help to overcome and find victory.\u00a0 Prayer is not for manipulating God into getting our own way, but is a way to draw near to the Lord and to be pleasing to Him by humbling ourselves and seeking Him.\u00a0 Do you think Bilam missed the point in the time he spent in prayer with Most High God?\u00a0 Do we miss the point sometimes when we pray?\u00a0 Bilam returned again and again hoping he could cause God to change His mind.\u00a0 Do you seek the Lord according to Yeshua\u2019s example or according to Bilam\u2019s example?\u00a0 Yeshua said seek and you will find, ask and it will be given to you (<em>Matthew 7:7<\/em>).\u00a0 This only comes with a pure heart (<em>Tehillim \/Psalms 24:4<\/em>).\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/BTT_Parashat-Balak-2013.pdf\">BTT_Parashat Balak-2013<\/a>  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This weeks reading is from Parashat Balak (Bamidbar \/ Numbers 16:1-18:32), Balak king of Moab saw what the children of Israel had done to the Amorites and both he and the people of Moab were afraid being very anxious about Israel\u2019s presence.\u00a0 As a result, Balak asks for help from a man named Bilam. Now [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7378,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2328","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bits-of-torah-truth"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2328"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2328\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matsati.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}